Location

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

Start Date

29-4-1993 1:00 PM

End Date

29-4-1993 4:00 PM

Description

The returns on the technology developed in the U.S. space program can be seen in almost every aspect of modern life. Often, the benefits are not seen in discrete products, but in the enabling technologies that make possible the devices we use everyday. For example, the technology that made possible the lunar drilling tools has enabled Black and Decker to develop an array of cordless tools serving the needs of both the Saturday handyman and orthopedic surgeons. The low power microelectronics technologies developed in the early space program provided an enabling technology base for astonishing developments by the U.S. electronics industry that led to many of the medical devices and consumer products advances over the past three decades.

Indeed, the dividends to U.S. industry of the Apollo program alone led one news magazine to describe it as "The best return on investment since Leonardo da Vinci bought a sketch pad." In the same way, Space Station and other programs of today's NASA are paying dividends to the U.S. economy.

The following paper presents examples of the economic dividends and competitive advantage realized by U.S.industry through the use of NASA technology developed over the past 30 years.

Comments

30 Years of Progress, Spinoffs from Space Technology

Session Chairman: Doris J. Rouse, Director, NASA Technology Applications Team, Research Triangle Institute

Session Organizer: Don Capone, Southern Technology Application Center, Kennedy Space Center

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Apr 29th, 1:00 PM Apr 29th, 4:00 PM

Paper Session III-C - Dividends from Space: How NASA Technology has Provided a Competitive Advantage for U.S. Industry

Holiday Inn, Manatee Rooms A & B

The returns on the technology developed in the U.S. space program can be seen in almost every aspect of modern life. Often, the benefits are not seen in discrete products, but in the enabling technologies that make possible the devices we use everyday. For example, the technology that made possible the lunar drilling tools has enabled Black and Decker to develop an array of cordless tools serving the needs of both the Saturday handyman and orthopedic surgeons. The low power microelectronics technologies developed in the early space program provided an enabling technology base for astonishing developments by the U.S. electronics industry that led to many of the medical devices and consumer products advances over the past three decades.

Indeed, the dividends to U.S. industry of the Apollo program alone led one news magazine to describe it as "The best return on investment since Leonardo da Vinci bought a sketch pad." In the same way, Space Station and other programs of today's NASA are paying dividends to the U.S. economy.

The following paper presents examples of the economic dividends and competitive advantage realized by U.S.industry through the use of NASA technology developed over the past 30 years.

 

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